The Exploration of Inner Space Niels Bagge Cand.psych., aut. Psykolog specialist i psykoterapi July 2014 Buenos Aires PCE 2014 .. this whole intuitive and psychic world is being opened to thoughtful, serious investigation. Two examples are … and the careful research of Dr. Grof (1975) on the puzzling and challenging inner experiences of individuals under LSD. Rogers, Carl (1977) There is ample reason to think that the inner experience of individuals constitute a vast and mysterious area for exploration as the incredible galaxies and “black holes” of outer space. I am simply expressing the hope that innovative educators and learners may have the courage, the creativity, and the skill to enter and learn this world of inner space Rogers, Carl (1977) Program 1. Rogers on Grof 2. Grofs research and therapy 3. Holotropic Breathwork and PCT 4. Holotropic Breathwork and EFT 5. Potentials of HB for PCE-therapy 6. Questions NIELS BAGGE Cand. psych., certified psychologist, specialist in psychoterapy Trained in EFT with Leslie Greenberg Trained in Holotropic Breathwork with Stanislav Grof Private practice & IPCOPT 1. Rogers on Grof 6 Rogers on Grof Rogers, Carl (1977): Beyond the watershed in education: And where now? Educational Leadership, May 1977, 34(8), 623-631 Rogers, Carl (1979): Foundations of the Person- Centered Approach. Education, winter 1979,100(2), 98-107 Researchers like the Grofs (1977) and John Lilly (1973) would take us beyond the ordinary level of consciousness. Their studies appear to reveal that in altered states of consciousness persons feel they are in touch with, and grasp the meaning of, this evolutionary flow. ... Hard-headed research seems to be confirming the mystic's experience of union with the universal. Rogers, Carl (1979) 9 2. Grofs research and therapy 10 Stanislav Grof Born in Prague (1931) Psychiatrist, Prague University, 1956 LSD-psychotherapy research, 1954 USA 1967 and head of last LSD- psychotherapy research project until 1973 Co-founder of transpersonal psychology Develops Holotropic Breathwork Grof Transpersonal Training Published +100 books, papers, chapters, video, audio 11 Inner space Non-ordinary state of consciousness (NOSC) Sensations from outer world is minimised Inner psychic world is maximised Through experiential method Inner space Outer world 12 The mind can be anything In NOSC sensory cues for "the skin encapsulated ego" - everyday self is loosened Mind enter absorbed experience of identification Not remembering or observing, but experiencing Mind can identify with anything Identification in NOSC Self in OSC 13 The mind can be anything In NOSC sensory cues for "the skin encapsulated ego" - everyday self is loosened Mind enter absorbed experience of identification Not remembering or observing, but experiencing Mind can identify with anything Identification in NOSC Self in OSC 14 States of consciousness OSC NOSC Ordinary Non-ordinary 1. Trivial 1. Hylotropic 2. Holotropic Holotropic = moving towards wholeness Hylotropic = moving toward matter (trees) Cartography of the unconscious 1. Sensory 2. Biographic 3. Perinatal 4. Transpersonal Sensory level Body sensations Sensory phenomena: Visual, auditive ect Physiological : Temperature, evaporation Yoga-sleep 17 Biographical level Re-Experience from biography Both positive and negative experiences Reliving of trauma Emotional guided experiences COEX-systems 18 COEX-Systems Condensed Experiences Dynamic constellation of memory Strong emotional charge, intense body sensation Biographic, perinatale og transpersonal experience Core-experience at base of COEX-system Full re-experience of core-experience transforms and dissolve COEX-system 19 Perinatale level Experiences around birth Death-rebirth experiences 4 Basic Perinatale Matrices (BPM 1-4) Intense experiences Birth: conditions, interventions, complications 20 Basic Perinatal Matrices BPM 1 BPM 2 BPM 3 BPM 4 21 Transpersonal level Experiences transcending ordinary perception of self and, time and space Identification with other persons, living organisms, inorganic matter; mythical, archtypical or spiritual persons and creatures; the universe and the Devine Experience of paranormal phenomena 22 23 24 Holotropic Session Starting up Going in Health check (contraindications) Sensory deprivation Mental preparation (set) Guided body and mind Physical space (setting) opening Deepening Accelerated Breathing Evocative Music Releasing Bodywork Coming back Mandala drawing Following up Sharing in group HB formats and participants Individual Breather Groups Sitter Facilitator Large groups Floater Music facilitator Case Casper, 20 years, computer programmer Anxiety, GAD, phobias, avoidance behaviour Individual psychotherapy, EFT, 10 session 1 Holotropic Breathwork workshop HB experience 27 Caspers HB experience Anxiety, body sensations, keeps breathing into anxiety Overlooks primordial savannah. Runs downhill on legs and hands in touch with body, senses. Anxiety disappears. 28 Enters box that he can't escape. Sees savannah, but it's behind a glass wall. Can't go back. Anxiety. He has to move forward. Forces his way out of box. 29 Enters outer space with a sense of freedom, quietness and ease Relaxation and feels good afterwards 30 Healing in Holotropic Breatwork Non-ordinary state of consciousness (NOSC) intense deep experiences expression of experiences Integration of experience 3. Holotropic Breathwork and Person Centered Therapy 32 The necessary and sufficient conditions of constructive personality change 1. Two persons are in psychological contact. 2. The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious. 3. The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship. 4. The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client. 5. The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client. 6. The communication to the client of the therapist’s empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is to a minimal degree achieved. (Rogers, 1957) HB & PCT 1. Non-directive - doing not doing 2. Person-Centered stance 3. Formative tendency - inner healer / Holotropic 4. Conditions for therapy 34 The task of the faciltator or therapist in holotropic therapy is to support the experiential process with fuld trust in its healing nature, with out trying to direct it or change it in any way. Grof, 2000 35 4. Holotropic Breathwork and Emotion Focused Therapy 36 HB & EFT 1. Experiential 2. Evocative 3. Emotional intensity and experiential depth 4. COEX-system and Emotion Schemes 5. Therapist vs facilitator 6. Process guidance not content guidance Single experiential process No marker guided task strategy Trusts holotropic force in psyche - inner healer 37 7. Arieving before leaving - the way out is the way through Proces-outcome Access emotion in therapy Experiential depth High emotional intensity In a safe relationship, Expression of high emotional intensitywith reflection and (Not too much and not too often) attuned to the client Processing of emotions ownership, regulating and differentiating) Transformation of emotional schemes (symbolising, congruence, accept, Emotionally Focused Intervention 1. Bond 2. Evoke 3. Access deeper emotion scheme 4. Narrative Adaptive Maladaptive Guide Transform 39 SIX MAJOR EMOTIONAL CHANGE PROCESSES ACCESSING 1. Increase Emotional Awareness & Symbolization in the Context of Salient EMOTION Personal Stories. 2. Express Emotion MODULATING 3. Enhance Emotion Regulation AND UNDER- STANDING 4. Reflect on Emotion. TRANSFORMING 5. Change Emotion with Emotion. EMOTION 6. Change Emotion with New Interpersonal Experience. 40 41 42 High degree of experiential activation leads to less therapist guidance (EFT clients who self direct chair work) -> HB becomes person- centeret HB integrates / Syntheses high level of experiential deep intense processing with high level of content non-directiveness 43 5. Potentials of Holotropic Breathwork for Person Centered and Experiential Therapy 44 Potential of Holotropic Breathwork Therapy in it self Adjacent to verbal therapy Therapist training HB research Research by Holmes et al. (1996) concluded that holotropic breathwork combined with traditional verbally oriented psychotherapy led to “significant reductions in death anxiety and increases in self-esteem” relative to just traditional psychotherapy. 46 In a theoretical review article, Rhinewine and Williams (2007) offer the hypothesis that holotropic breathwork operates via a biopsychological mechanism that results in experiential exposure to feared internal representations, and consequently in extinction of covert avoidance behaviors. The latter disinhibitory process, experienced by the breather as "catharsis," may correspondingly result in therapeutic progress among patients who had previously shown limited gains in verbal psychotherapy, as previously demonstrated in Holmes and colleagues' (1996) study. 47 Research by James Eyerman, MD (2013) reported results of 11,000 clinical patient experiences and 482 individual patient reports, and showed the 'procedure was well received. No complaints of adverse reactions were recorded during the sessions nor afterwards on the clinical units.' Eyerman goes on to conclude that Holotropic Breathwork 'offers significant benefits in terms of emotional catharsis and internal spiritual